Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2007-08: Ryan Murray was chosen in the first round, 9th overall, of the 2008 WHL Bantam Draft by the Everett Silvertips.

2008-09: Murray spent most of the season with the Moose Jaw Warriors of the SJHL. In 41 games, Murray scored 12 goals and added 26 assists for 38 points. In 5 playoff games, Murray scored 1 goal and added 6 assists for 7 points. Murray received his first taste of WHL actions, playing in 5 playoff games for the Silvertips. He registered 1 assist in those games.

2009-10: In his WHL rookie season, Murray played in 52 games for the Silvertips. He scored 5 goals and added 22 assists for 27 points. In 7 playoff games, he scored 2 goals and added 5 assists for 7 points. Murray played for Team Western at the 2010 U-17 Hockey Challenge, registering 1 assist in 5 games. Murray also played for Canada at the 2010 U-18 World Junior Championship, picking up no points in 6 games. He was named a Top 3 player on his team for that tournament.

2010-11: Murray played in 70 games for the Silvertips, scoring 6 goals and adding 40 assists for 46 points while also adding 45 penalty minutes. In 4 playoff games, Murray scored 1 goal and added 2 assists for 3 points. Murray was named to the WHL Western Conference All-Star Team. Murray played for Canada at the 2011 U-18 World Junior Championship, scoring 3 goals and adding 7 assists for 10 points in 7 games.

2011-12: Murray was named a team captain for the Silvertips as an 18-year-old and also represented Canada at the 2012 U20 World Junior Championship. Limited at the beginning of the season due to an ankle injury, he skated in 46 regular season games. Murray finished with an even plus-minus and scored 9 goals with 22 assists and 31 PMs on an Everett team that won just 22 games. Murray was the Everett's leading scorer in the four-game playoff series with Tri-City, scoring 3 goals, including a short-handed tally, and adding 2 assists while finishing minus-2. He skated in all six games during Canada's bronze medal run at the U20 WJC and had 3 assists. Following the season he was one of two junior players invited to the camp for Team Canada prior to the 2012 IIHF World Championship. Murray was ranked 2nd among North American skaters in the final Central Scouting rankings prior to the 2012 NHL Draft.

2012-13: Murray's season was cut short by a season-ending shoulder injury in November that required surgery. The injury prevented him from skating for Canada in the 2013 World Junior Championship and from making a possible NHL debut with the Blue Jackets after the lockout. In his fourth WHL season he scored 2 goals with 15 assists in 23 games for Everett and had an even plus/minus with 14 penalty minutes.

Talent Analysis

The most NHL-ready player of the 2012 draft class, Murray is a talented defenseman with few holes in his game. He already has good command in the defensive zone, and can contribute offensively with both good passing skills and a hard, accurate shot. Murray is quite poised for his young age, and has the look of a future NHL captain. He should help anchor a top defensive pairing in the NHL for years to come.

Future

Murray has already developed into a solid NHL defender, and should only get better as he matures.

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Photo: Notre Dame's leading scorer each of the past two seasons, junior forward T.J. Tynan will again be expected to be the driving force behind the Irish offense in 2012-13. (courtesy of Zuma Press/Icon SMI)

The Columbus Blue Jackets had top five picks in two of the last three NHL drafts. As a result there system has a good amount of quality prospects that should be seeing formidable playing time in the future.

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Photo: Chris Kreider's mix of blazing speed, a formidable frame, and outstanding hockey sense rank him among the top forward prospects in the NHL. (courtesy of Will Schneekloth/Icon SMI)

Winger Chris Kreider, already coming off a NCAA National Championship with Boston College, put on a show in 18 playoff games for the New York Rangers. The lockout will keep him from making an immediate impact for the Rangers in 2012-13, but like defensemen Brendan Smith and Brandon Gormley behind him, Kreider should benefit from significant ice time in the AHL rather than the pressure of making an immediate impact in the NHL.

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Swedish goaltender Oscar Dansk is among the Blue Jackets' prospects expected to have a big impact in the 2012-13 season, his first with the OHL's Erie Otters. (courtesy of Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

The Columbus Blue Jackets are stacked with defensive talent lurking in their system. Ryan Murray leads the pack of NHL-ready defenders, but the positional depth is uncanny. From puck-moving defensemen to stay-at-home guys, Columbus’ blue line is going to be set for years to come.

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Photo: Defenseman Ryan Murray of the WHL's Everett Silvertips was the top pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2012 NHL Draft, and is now their top prospect (courtesy of Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)

After finishing last in the Central Division the past three seasons, the Columbus Blue Jackets have plenty of top draft picks to begin rebuilding the hockey team.

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Photo: Defenseman Ryan Murray ended up being chosen as predicted by most, going to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2012 NHL Draft (courtesy of Ken McKenna/HF)

The Columbus Blue Jackets entered the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft needing help at all positions. Holding the second selection overall in the draft allowed Scott Howson and Co. to begin their building efforts in a big way, and they did just that with the selection of defenseman Ryan Murray from the WHL's Everett Silvertips.